Hydraulic propulsion of vessels



(No Model.)

. J.v O. WALKER. HYDRAULIC PROPULSION 0P VESSELS.

Patente d Aug. 9,1892.

, INVENTORJ 7ams m.-

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l- IY -DRAU LlC PROPULSION oevEs ssL-sQ SPECIFIGAI'IONgforining an; of Letters rarest 1%. 480.633, dated Augusto, 189,2". r

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'JAMES C. NVALKER, residing at Waco, McLennan county, in the State of Texas, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Hydraulic Propulsion of Vessels, of which the following is a specificaiiiOtL- The object of my invention to provide an improved means for the application of the through the numerous nozzles in the form of jets against the surrounding water, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view taken on the level of the tube. Fig. 2 isa similar view showingv a modification of my invention in which a single trunk-tube is used. Fig. 8 is a vertical central longitudinal section of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail.

In the drawings, A A represent the hull of the vessel, which may be of any desired or ap proved construction, and a: a: is its keel-line. On each side of the keel-line and some distance below the water-line are arranged the two longitudinal trunk-tubes a a, and b b, one on each side of themiddle line of the vessel. These tubes are tapered in form throughout their length, and their largest ends, which are in front, open into the water at the bow of the boat through screens or lat-, ticed guards. (shown in Fig. 4,) which prevent the entrance offish, logs, or any other drift which might choke and obstruct the tubes. These trunk-tubes terminate at the stern in a comparatively small nozzle a and have extending along their sides branch pipes, which also terminate in the open water along the side in a series of nozzles c c c, directed rear- 1' war'dly. The object in making the main 5- trnuk-tubes tapering and largest at the front is to furnish all the nozzles with a sufficient and equal supply of water." Thusthe crosssection the front end is suificient-to sup ply, all the rear and lateral disohargeswhile 55 is made adequate-only to the needs of the nozthe diminution of the cross-section to the rear.

'zles in rear of any particular point. By this means all of the nozzles are suppliedequally anda uniform and maximum velocity is given to all the jets issuing from said nozzles.

Within each tube is arranged a propellerwheel (1, which sucks the water in through the forward open end of the tube and drives it forcibly to the rear through the nozzles, of such form and construction as shall be best adapted for these double purposes. These propeller-wheels are driven from a gear-wheel f, which receives its motion from the engine by any suitable connecting-gear and imparts its motion to the propellers either through bevel-gears e e in Fig. 1 or directly, as in Fig. 2. I prefer to use'the two independent trunktubes c a, b b, as shown in Fig. 1; but as a modification I may unite the trunks from a point near their ends into a single central main trunk, as in Figs. 2 and 3, preserving, however, the same tapering form and relative arrangement of the cross-section to the numher and size of the discharge-nozzles.

In making use of myinvention the propelling efEect is made available in several differentways. In the first place, the sucking action of the propeller in the front ends of the tubes takes away the. water, which would be a factorof resistanpaand by the pull exerted upon the same converts it into'available force for propelling the vessel. In the second place, the propeller compresses the water in the rear of it in the tube and by the leverage thus exerted upon that water. adds to the forward movement; and, third and most important, the compressed Water issuing in numerous small jets at the sides and rear of the vessel causes a reactionary effect on the nozzle and the vessel that gives a very eihcient and powerfulmotive power for propelling the vessel forward. i

Bymeans of the double tubes shown in Fig.

4 and suitable arrangementof gearing and/ valves one set of nozzles maybe used independently of the other to facilitate steering, or one set of nozzles may be varranged for fortoo ward movement'and the otherfor backward .movement I am awarethat wheels have been arranged in channels .for the propulsion of vessels and that the principle of j et-propulsion is also old 1n itself, and I therefore make no broad claim (to these features.

Having thus described my invention, what Icla1m, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

for establishing a high-pressure'current within the tube, substantially as shown and described.

'2. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of a longitudinal trunk-tube made of tapering cross-section, largest at its front end,

' shown and described.

and opening at the bow and provided along its sides with a series of lateral branches terminating in nozzles, a propellerwheel arranged in" the front end of said trunk-tube, and gears for rotating it, substantially as 3.v The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of the twojtapering trunk-tubes a a and b I), made largest at the front end and opening at the bow, said tubes being arranged upon opposite sides of the center line and having lateral branches terminating in nozzles, the suction and propeller wheels 01 d, arranged in the larger front ends of said tubes, and gears e f for rotating them, substantially as shown and described. i

. JAMES C. WALKER. Witnesses:

A. W. MCGREGOR, T. L. McCULLoUcnaLv 

